1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to finishing of dental restorations. More particularly, the invention discloses a method for external and internal carving and contouring of convex surfaces of tooth anatomy, as well as ridges, contact areas, embrasures, fossae and grooves. The invention also includes instruments for carrying out the method of finishing dental restorations, including an interproximal carver, an occlusal-incisal carver, and an intermarginal carver, the latter two of which have concave surfaces constructed to match the convex surfaces of external tooth anatomy. The position of the plane of the concave carving edges varies in different embodiments of the invention, to allow the operator to select instruments appropriate to the particular quadrant.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many general background references pertinent to the field of dentistry embraced by the present invention are available from state dental associations and publishers of scientific material.
A dental tool is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,497,749, issued June 17, 1924, to Diack, where a method for working the occlusal contour of a single tooth is disclosed, along with instruments for accomplishing burnishing of dental surfaces by a V-edge. U.S. Pat. No. 1,875,680, issued Sept. 6, 1932, to Van Horn, shows a carving instrument for shaping a wax model of a tooth, specifically adapted for pushing and pulling in following the tooth form.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,953,584, issued Apr. 3, 1934, to Bronner, mentions that the dental tool described therein has an operative surface or cutting edge of suitable contour.
Other patents describing dental instruments for various purposes are the following:
U.S. Pat. Nos.
550,508--Nov. 26, 1895--How PA2 888,071--May 19, 1908--Dodez PA2 1,109,924--Sept. 8, 1914--Hoffman et al. PA2 1,382,401--June 21, 1921--Zurbrigg PA2 3,023,501--Mar. 6, 1962--Schmitt.